1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer interface adaptors, and more particularly to a precision fathometer interface adaptor for interfacing a shallow and a deep water sonar with a computer operated survey system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In ocean survey systems separate bathymetric systems for shallow water and for deep water are used simultaneously. The existing automated survey plotting and positioning system can only input one source of sonar data, and the sources are not always compatible with the survey system. Subsequently, manually intensive methods of data reduction are required to correlate depths with position and to establish bathymetric "control". Additionally manual time/event marks, as opposed to system marks, for external devices are based on the sound of a teleprinter typing on-the-minute fix information. In the noisy environment of a small survey craft this leads to inconsistencies in mark spacing was well as late or lost marks, adding to the manual data reduction workload.
What is desired is means to eliminate excessive manual bathymetry and position data reduction, to provide automated bathymetry data logging for all sources, and to eliminate inconsistencies between system time/event and manual time/event marks.